Johnson and the Saints have agreed on a two-year contract extension, Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Johnson is coming off the best season of his young career. He recorded 508 yards and seven touchdowns on 42 receptions. By agreeing to an extension, he will avoid restricted free agency. The 26-year-old projects as the No. 1 tight end for new quarterback Derek Carr.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Logs last catch of 2022
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Johnson hauled in his only target for 21 yards during Sunday's 10-7 loss to Carolina.
Johnson logged less than two targets for just the second time in 16 games. The 6-foot-4 tight end saw a massive increase in usage during the 2022 campaign, allowing him to finish with his best season as a pro. The 26-year-old recorded 42 receptions on 65 targets for 508 yards and a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Johnson first emerged as a big-bodied red-zone target in 2021, but he became one of the Saints' top receivers this year due to the team's rash of injuries at wideout. He accumulated the team's second-most targets and receiving yards behind rookie wide receiver Chris Olave, as well as the third-most receptions behind Olave and Alvin Kamara. Johnson will now enter the 2023 offseason as a restricted free agent, and he'll likely be back to head the depth chart next year.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Suiting up in Week 18
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Johnson (quadriceps) is listed as active Sunday against the Panthers, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
After opening Week 18 prep as a non-participant Wednesday due to a quadriceps injury, Johnson proceeded to log back-to-back limited sessions before New Orleans tabbed him as questionable for Sunday's game. Taysom Hill also entered the weekend with the same listing, but both tight ends will be available to the offense. In 15 appearances this season, Johnson's snap share has ranged from 45 to 77 percent, and while he's seen 11 red-zone targets this season en route to seven touchdowns, he's surpassed 50 receiving yards on just two occasions (Weeks 15 and 17).
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Johnson and Taysom Hill are both worth using as low-end starters in the majority of leagues in Week 18. Johnson was again productive in Week 17 at Philadelphia with five catches for 62 yards on seven targets, and he's now scored at least 11 PPR points in five of his past seven games. And Hill has scored a touchdown in four games in a row, including two on the ground, and he is averaging 11.5 PPR points over that span.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Sleeper TEs
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Johnson and Taysom Hill are both worth using as low-end starters in the majority of leagues in Week 18. Johnson was again productive in Week 17 at Philadelphia with five catches for 62 yards on seven targets, and he's now scored at least 11 PPR points in five of his past seven games. And Hill has scored a touchdown in four games in a row, including two on the ground, and he is averaging 11.5 PPR points over that span.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Receives questionable tag
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The Saints list Johnson (quadriceps) as questionable for Sunday's game against the Panthers.
New Orleans will tentatively enter the weekend with just one healthy tight end (Adam Trautman), as Taysom Hill (back) is also listed as questionable for the season finale. Considering both Johnson and Hill closed the week with a pair of limited practices, there's a good chance the Saints could have both players available to fill their usual roles. Johnson has been the Saints' top pass-catching tight end this season, as he enters the Week 18 contest with 41 receptions for 487 yards and seven touchdowns on 64 targets across his 15 appearances.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Increases practice activity
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Johnson (quadriceps) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Johnson sat out Wednesday's session due to the quad issue that he apparently picked up coming out of this past Sunday's upset win over the Eagles, during which the tight end recorded five receptions for 62 yards on seven targets. Though the Saints don't have much to play for Week 18, Johnson's return to practice Thursday -- albeit in a limited fashion -- suggests he's aiming to play this weekend against the Panthers. New Orleans will release its final Week 18 injury report later Friday, when it'll be known whether Johnson approaches the season finale with or without an injury designation.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Sits out Wednesday with quad injury
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Johnson didn't practice Wednesday due to a quadriceps injury.
Since the Saints' Week 14 bye, Johnson has sandwiched 60-plus-yard efforts around a nine-yard Week 16, totaling 10 catches (on 15 targets) for 138 yards and two touchdowns over that three-game stretch. Now with a quad injury in tow, his status will be monitored as the week goes on to get a sense of his potential to play Sunday versus the Panthers.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Leads Saints in targets
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Johnson recorded five receptions on seven targets for 62 yards in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Eagles.
The Saints were able to maintain a run-heavy offense in positive game script, but even so Johnson matched his season high with seven targets. He turned in a few big plays, highlighted by gains of 21 and 17 yards. Johnson was touchdown-reliant earlier in the season, though he's now topped 60 receiving yards in two of his last three contests.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Week 17 Waiver Priority List
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Johnson's Fantasy production got buried in the snow in Week 16 at Cleveland when he had one catch for 9 yards on two targets. Prior to that, he scored a touchdown in four of his past five games, with five touchdowns over that span, and he had at least 12 PPR points in every game that he found the end zone. The matchup with the Eagles isn't easy in Week 17, but Johnson's touchdown potential makes him worth using as a flier in deeper leagues. And you can always use Taysom Hill (73 percent rostered) if he's still available in shallow leagues. Hill, whether it's been catching, running or throwing a touchdown, has scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Struggles in blustery conditions
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Johnson reeled in one of two targets for nine yards during Saturday's 17-10 win over Cleveland.
Johnson took a step back following his two-touchdown performance against Atlanta last week. The 6-foot-4 receiving tight end dropped his first target late in the first quarter while laying out for a pass that likely should have been caught. What's worse, this drop led the ball to bounce up in the air for an easy interception to Browns safety Grant Delpit. Johnson's opportunities then fell to the wayside in Saturday's windy and frigid conditions, as the Saints attempted just seven passes while leaning into an option rushing attack over the final three quarters. Johnson still tied with wideout Keith Kirkwood for the team's third-most targets behind Rashid Shaheed (five) and running back Alvin Kamara (four). Johnson will look to bounce back against Philadelphia in Week 17.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Week 16 Waiver Priority List
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The weather in Cleveland could be an issue for Johnson and the Saints this week, but hopefully Johnson can still be productive. He had four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns on six targets against Atlanta in Week 15, and he now has at least 12 PPR points in four of his past five games. He has scored in all of his productive games, which is never reliable, but it's hard to overlook him finding the end zone seven times in his past seven outings. He can be used as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end if the weather isn't awful in Cleveland in Week 16.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Week 16 Early Waiver Targets (Add/Drop)
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Johnson has had a nice little breakout this season, and Sunday's was his best game yet. You can't count on multiple touchdowns every week, however, he's been a big part of the team's red zone offense for a while now, and actually led the team in targets Sunday. He's not quite a touchdown-or-bust option, with 40-plus yards in four of his past five games, though he's also scored in each of those four as well, a nice bonus. He's got a pretty good matchup against Cleveland on the way and could be a top-12 option for next week.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Back in the fold Sunday
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Johnson (ankle) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Coming off his only absence of the season Week 13 due to an ankle injury, Johnson used the Saints' Week 14 bye to get healthier, which resulted in limited sessions Wednesday through Friday and a questionable designation for Week 15. Fellow tight end Adam Trautman (ankle) experienced the same regimen and designation, but in the end both players will be available Sunday. Johnson has been the better pass catcher of the two this season, recording a cumulative 31-349-5 line on 49 targets in 12 appearances.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Questionable for Sunday
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Johnson (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
The same goes for Adam Trautman (back), with both TEs limited practice participants Wednesday through Friday. Johnson has dominated the tight-end targets in New Orleans this year, though an average of 4.1 per game still makes for a low floor in fantasy. The Saints will release their inactives 90 minutes before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Stays limited at practice
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Johnson (ankle) practiced in a limited fashion Thursday.
Prior to the Saints' last game Week 13 against the Buccaneers, Johnson didn't practice at all before he was ruled out on the final injury report. After a Week 14 bye, he's put together back-to-back limited listings, which also can be said for fellow tight end Adam Trautman (ankle). The team's final report of the week Friday may provide some clarity regarding who among the duo has a chance to play Sunday versus the Falcons.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Practices Wednesday
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Johnson (ankle) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Johnson was unable to practice leading up to New Orleans' loss to Tampa Bay in Week 13, so his return to practice coming off the Saints' Week 14 bye is an encouraging sign. With the bye week giving him additional healing time, Johnson will hopefully be able to suit up Sunday against the Falcons. Fellow tight end Adam Trautman, who started in place of Johnson in Week 13, was also limited in practice Wednesday with an ankle issue.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: Sleeper TEs
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Johnson should rebound this week against Tampa Bay after he had a bad game in Week 12 at San Francisco with no catches on two targets, but he did drop an end zone pass, which would have given him a touchdown in four games in a row and five times in his past six outings. I'll go back to him again as a low-end starter in all leagues against the Buccaneers in Week 13. Tampa Bay has allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in the past five games.
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Saints' Juwan Johnson: No practice again
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Johnson (ankle) didn't practice Friday.
The tight end is in danger of missing Monday's game at Tampa Bay after back-to-back missed practices. He played only 45 percent of snaps and finished without a catch in last week's 13-0 loss to San Francisco, following six straight games with multiple receptions and at least 63 percent snap share (not to mention five TDs in the six-game stretch). Adam Trautman and Taysom Hill are the best bets to take on more snaps if Johnson can't play Monday night, though his absence might also free up more playing time for the team's depth wide receivers.
Even in last week's dud, Johnson had two more red-zone targets. Most of the tight ends outside the top-12 are touchdown-or-bust options, and Johnson is at least consistently getting opportunities in that area of the field.
